Coastal upwelling systems are considered to be the most productive
ocean ecosystems in terms of living resources. The Peru-Chile coastal
upwelling ecosystem represents the most productive of the eastern boundary
upwelling regions, supporting the world’s largest single-species fishery. The system is characterized by strong latitudinal
variations in upwelling and productivity.

Francisco Chavez and his team will explore the biogeochemical and ecological dynamics of the ocean off the west coast of North and South America, using surface drifters
equipped with sensors to measure the difference in the partial pressure of
carbon dioxide (delta pCO2) between ocean
and atmosphere. They will measure air and sea surface pCO2 from ships and
deploy additional pCO2 sensors on
moorings. These measurements will be compared with estimates of new production from
models and satellite data. The long-lived drifters (~1 year) will
eventually enter the subtropical gyres of the North and South Pacific,
collecting data from poorly sampled areas. The work will be a collaborative effort
between MBARI, CICESE in Mexico, the Peruvian fishery institute (IMARPE)
and the Universidad de Concepcion in Chile.